Shoulder frame



J. L.-DESPRES May 13, 1952 SHOULDER FRAME Filed March 29, 1950 Patented May 13, 1952 STATES 2 claims. (else-26s) This invention 'relatesto garment. accessories and. is; directed: particularly to improvement inframeadevioes to be placed uponthe shouldersito elevateor-pad outthe'shoulder of a garment.

An object of the present. invention is toprovide.

animproveda lightweight, resilient frame device formedutofit onand generally conform tothe. shoulder and having a removableshape of the cover, with means carried by the frame and operablethrough openings. in the cover, for detachably securing the device to the garment under which it is located...

Another object is toprovide a device of the character set forth having means by which it may be adjustedfor height. andwidth at its inner end, that is, at the inner part of the shoulder.

A further object is to provide a shoulder frame of: the character stated. having spring. clasps adapted to ;gripa shoulder seam of the garment in: which it-is used,.whereby the device is secured in place for use.

Other advantagesof the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds and the invention will be best understood from a considerationof the-following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to belimited to the exact details of construction shown and described since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a view in perspective of a shoulder lift device constructed in accordance with the present invention, with a part of the cover broken away.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the device with the cover removed, showing the frame only.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the numeral It] generally designates the frame part of the shoulder lift or pad, as seen when removed from its cover.

The frame comprises a bottom or base ll of substantially U form, the two sides l2 of which are longitudinally curved and convergent toward the outer end of the device and are joined by the rounded end part l3. This bottom or base is fashioned from flat band material, as shown, which may be of steel, plastic or any other suitable material.

The above referred to "outer end designates that end of the device which lies over the outer part of. thewearers shoulder or over the shoulder socket.

Thesides ,i2..at their inner. ends are joined by the-flair. slightlyarchedbase bar i l, at each end of-whichisthe upturned lip l5; Theends of the sides l2 are permanently. joined. to the bar it inwardly-of. the lips |5,. as shown inwardly of theattaehed ends of the sides 12, the bar M. has

struck up therefrom the ear stops i6,-the purpose of which .will be. hereinafter described.

In. additionetogthe bar It, the. sides I2 ofthe base areconnectedby the low. arch H which is oloseito. thegbar, I l butcurved or bowed upwardly in a higher .arc'than. the-bar M.

The numeral l8' designates the top, longitudinal bar of the frame. This bar has its outer end curvedv downwardly as at it and permanently joined ,ltothe. rounded. end 13 of the base. This bar. [Sext'ends inwardly at a slight upward incline from the. curved end Ii! and has its inner end. joined. .orsecured to the center of an adjustablesp'ring arch 20, which is in the form of a. flat band; This springarch is of greater. height than theilow. arch and itwhas-its endsil'a hooked behind, and held from spreading outwardly by, the lips l5. However, if the height of the frame at its inner end is desired greater the ends Ila may be sprung in, or pressed toward one another to be hooked behind the ear stops I6 as shown in dotted outline.

The bar I8 has formed therethrough two elongated openings 2|, and to the edge of the bar at one side of each opening, is secured a hin clasp or clip 22, having the two arms 23 which extend in toward the opening and the jaws 24 thereof meeting through the opening as shown in Figure 3. A suitable coil spring 25 encircling the pivot pin on which the arms are mounted, constantly urges the top arm and jaw drawn into gripping relation with the under arm and jaw.

The frame In is enclosed in a removable cover 26, which comprises a top 21, a bottom 28 and an inner end wall 29. The top 21 is shaped to completely overlie the top bar It! and extend down to the base H along the sides and outer end thereof where it joins the bottom at the inner end of the frame and along a portion of each side adjacent to the inner end. The remaining portion of the bottom edge of the cover is separable from the bottom 28 around the outer end and along the remainder of the sides as indicated at 30 to facilitate placing the cover on and removing it from the frame.

The inner end wall 29 of the cover is joined to the top and bottom along its edges as shown to complete the cover.

As shown the bottom 28 extends slightly beyond the edge of the top 21, at its sides and outer end to provide a flange 3|.

The top 21 has formed therein an opening 27a for each of the clasps 24, whereby a part of a garment seam may be extended through the cover to be gripped by the clasps as hereinafter described.

The numeral 32 designates a portion of the shoulder of a garment having a shoulder seam which comprises the turned under edges 33.

In the use of the present device it is placed, in the customary manner, beneath the shoulder part 32, where the top bar l8 will be beneath and parallel with the garment seam. One of the edges 33 of the seam is gripped between the jaws 24 of the two clasps 22 as shown in Figure 3 and. in this manner the device is secured against shiftmg.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the device of the present invention provides a desirable shoulder lift, without adding materially to the garment weight and without making the shoulder uncomfortably warm, because of the hollow, skeleton form of the frame.

By this provision of the adjustable arch 20 the height of the device at the inner end thereof may be easily adjusted.

The cover may be formed of cotton, synthetic resin fabric or any other suitable material, and, being readily removable, it be taken off for exchange for another cover to suit the color of the garment with which it is to be used, or for cleaning.

I claim:

1. A shoulder lift for a garment, comprising an elongated frame structure having a high inner end and tapering in height and width toward the outer end, means at the inner end of the frame for adjusting the height of the same comprising a transverse base bar forming a part of the frame, a longitudinal top bar secured at its outer end to a base portion of the frame, an arch piece at the inner end of the frame and having the inner end of said top bar secured thereto, said arch piece having bendable side portions resting upon said base bar, and means carried by and projecting upwardly from the base bar adjacent to each end against the inner sidesof which the end portions of said arch piece are engaged.

2. A frame unit for a garment shoulder lift of the character set forth, comprising a flat base of elongated U form having side portions and an outer end connecting the side portions, a low arch member connecting the side portions adjacent to the inner ends thereof, an arcuate base bar extending between and coupling the inner ends of said side portions, said base bar having adjacent to each end a number of upstanding elements, a resilient high arch member overlying the base bar and having side portions, said arch member side portions having free ends positioned between and detachably held against opposing faces of two of said upstanding elements by the inherent resiliency of the arch member tending to separate said side portions thereof, a long top bar having one end secured to the top of the arch member and extending outwardly and downwardly toward and secured to the said outer end of the base, and a clasp member carried by said top bar.

JEANNETTE L. DESPRES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 207,211 Scheu Aug. 20, 1878 389,637 Byers Sept. 18, 1888 2,433,623 Perlmutter Dec. 30, 1947 2,497,382 Weber Feb. 14, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain Dec. 17, 1931 

